HOUSTON, TX – While it was not surprising to see Steve Asmussen win another edition of the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic, the race provided plenty of excitement as longshot Recharge pulled the upset over post-time favorite Alpine Princess.  

The Hall of Fame trainer has won six editions of the Houston Ladies Classic, including each of the last three years. 

In this year’s exciting rendition, Recharge dueled with Hoosier Philly for the lead for most of the race before Alpine Princess surged late to trigger a photo for the win. The final time for the 1 1/16 mile race on the main track was 1:45.53.

One of three entries from the Asmussen barn, Recharge ($86.60) was 20-1 on the morning line and went off at 42-1 in the field of nine fillies and mares. 
Recharge is a 4-year-old filly by Gun Runner. Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, she is out of their multiple stakes winning Tapit mare Remit, also trained by Asmussen during her racing career. 

“She ran a beautiful race,” said Asmussen. “She really stepped up and is now six for eight in her lifetime. So much credit goes to Winchell Thoroughbreds for her truly amazing pedigree. I couldn’t have been happier with Ben Curtis’ ride; he is a true professional and rode her confidently.”

Jockey Ben Curtis had the call in his first ride at Sam Houston. 

“She knows how to win. Her style is to be forwardly placed, so I let her go out and do her thing. She’s tough; she showed a good attitude fighting off two challengers in the lane,” said Curtis of the ride.

“Her ceiling has not been reached. There’s a good future for her,” he added. 

As a 3-year-old, Recharge tackled graded stakes company in the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park, in which she ran a respectable fifth in a field of ten fillies, led by 2024 Champion Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. 

A horse for the course, Recharge is now three for three at Sam Houston. She has six wins from eight career starts with lifetime earnings of $436,188, including $174,800 from Saturday’s victory.

Post-time favorite Alpine Princess, with Manny Franco in the irons, flew late in the stretch and nearly caught the front-running duo at the wire. Trained by Brad Cox, Alpine Princess was last seen as the runner-up in the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct in November. 

Alpine Princess is owned by Full of Run Racing and Madaket Stables. The 4-year-old Classic Empire filly is four for ten in her career with $470,000 in earnings.

“The pace was too slow,” commented Franco. “When I asked her for run, the leaders were too far ahead.”

Hoosier Philly finished third after gamely chasing the winner from the start. Now a 5-year-old, Hoosier Philly is six for 17 lifetime, including the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old. 

The Tom Amoss trainee was ridden by Edgar Morales for owner Gold Standard Racing Stable. 

Free Like a Girl was fourth, followed by Our Pretty Woman, Our Davina, Flashy Lass and Kara. 

Inaugurated in 2013, the Houston Ladies Classic was awarded its graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2016. The stakes has produced exceptional champions who have advanced to Grade 1 victories and captured national headlines. Joyful Victory, owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, trained by Larry Jones was the first winner of the Houston Ladies Classic. Eclipse Award winner Midnight Bisou, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, captured the 2019 edition of the championship and surpassed the $7 million earnings mark with five Grade 1 victories. St. George Stable LLC’s Letruska, went on to win five consecutive stakes, including four Grade 1 titles before completing her 2021 campaign in the Grade 1, Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.